Innovation à la Québécoise

September 2018

Bonjour Quebec: The Canadian province is a picturesque spot in already scenic Canada – and surprises with a strong spirit of innovation in the technology and manufacturing sector. As a specialist for sheet metal processing solutions, Bystronic fits in perfectly there.

Every morning at half past seven, the rumbling of his heavy Suzuki
machine already announces Sylvain Piché’s arrival from afar. “A touch of rocker
style is never out of place – even in tranquil Plessisville," says the
49-year-old with a smile. The technical director and co-owner of EPP Metal is
obviously very much at home here on the doorstep of Quebec City. From the small
Canadian town with some 6,700 inhabitants it is only 95 kilometers to Quebec
City, Montreal is about twice as far. “The perfect distance,” Piché says. “The
cities offer a rich cultural and gastronomic life, and out here, we can enjoy
peace and nature.”

The province of Quebec is Canada's francophone stronghold. French is the
official language, English only play a minor role. Sylvain Piché was born here.
More than ten years ago, together with his partners Guy Coté and Karine Gouin,
he took over the medium-sized company EPP Metal from his father. Today they
have almost 50 employees ─ but it all began as a one-man business in the garage
of Sylvain Piché's father.

Paul Piché started
processing copper and metal in the 1970s. Step by step he expanded the company.
Today, EPP Metal produces series components made of sheet steel, aluminum, or
stainless steel. For switchgear cabinets, for example, they manufacture doors,
side elements, or back panels. The company’s concept: Turnkey products from a
single source, and their portfolio is not limited to metal.

Sylvain Piché in the production halls of EPP.

A perfect marriage

“Growth is good, but not too fast”, Sylvain Piché sums up the strategy
of EPP Metal. “We want to remain a family business with a manageable size; that
is our strength.” High quality, high reliability, high precision, high speed -
these are the demands that Canadians place on themselves and on their work.
Bystronic is the perfect partner for this. “Process monitoring and quality
control virtually in real time provide
us with the reliability and confidence we need," says the company director
as he walks through the production halls in jeans and chucks.

The production hall boasts two Bystronic Xpert press brakes, one version
with 180 tons and the other with 320 tons bending force, a 100-ton Xact press
brake, and a 3-kilowatt and a 4-kilowatt fiber laser cutting system. Piché
determines on a case-by-case basis which laser system is more energy-efficient
for the job at hand. The underlying goal is clear: save costs.

Automated cutting, bending, and material handling have made EPP Metal’s
workflows faster and more efficient. “It’s a real luxury not to have to worry
about these processes," Piché says. “But communication, service, and
reliable maintenance are also important. For us it has been a close, personal
partnership right from the start. In a sense, one marries into the Bystronic
family,” says Piché with a smile. “And our marriage is perfect.”

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